Few people would sign up to do battle with microscopic plant life, especially if they knew that the plant life would use guerrilla tactics at every opportunity. Unfortunately, most women are destined to fight this battle. An estimated 75 percent of women get at least one yeast infection during their lives. To deal with yeast infection, many women head for the local drugstore and buy an over-the-counter treatment such as miconazole nitrate (Monistat). But if treatments address only vaginal symptoms, you’re getting at only half of the problem, says Lorilee Schoenbeck, N.D., a naturopathic doctor with the Champlain Centers for Natural Medicine in Shelburne and Middlebury, Vermont.
When it comes to chronic or recurring infections, the heart of the problem is often the intestines rather than the vaginal area, according to many naturopaths. Candida albicans, the organism that most frequently causes yeast infections, can sometimes become overgrown in your intestines. Yeast that exits the gastrointestinal tract can migrate into the vagina. That area can become infected repeatedly, says Dr. Schoenbeck.
Yeast infections can also mimic urinary tract infections or sexually transmitted diseases, so it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis from a medical practitioner before beginning treatment. Also, you should definitely consult your doctor if this is your first experience with symptoms of a yeast infection or if you are pregnant and have an underlying condition such as diabetes. Your doctor can determine whether you have a yeast infection.
Fortunately, there are many things that you can do to ward off yeast infections in the first place. Limit the amount of sweets you eat, suggests Dr. Schoenbeck. Candida breeds even more profusely when you ingest a lot of sugar.
Another preventive measure is spelled d-r-y. Candida loves a warm, moist environment. Panty hose, tight jeans, wet bathing suits, and sweaty exercise clothes all provide the yeast with an ideal set of moist conditions. If you get damp clothes off as fast as you can and change into something dry and airy, you just might discourage the little diehards. Also, wear only pure cotton underwear and change it daily, says Dr. Schoenbeck.
Apart from these precautions, fighting off a chronic yeast infection usually requires a combined approach. With the correct diet, herbs, and a good topical treatment regimen, most women can expect to begin winning the battle in about a month, says Dr. Schoenbeck. As for supplements, consider them potent allies in this battle. Some can help clear up a minor infection, and others can actually help ward off a yeast invasion.
Acidophilus—The Right Stuff
Because the vaginal itching, redness, and pain can drive you absolutely nuts, you have to take care of the immediate outbreak first, says Dr. Schoenbeck. Lactobacillus acidophilus is your ally because it’s a type of good bacteria that helps keep candida in check.
When the level of acidophilus is down, candida starts growing like wild. This is frequently the case if you have recently taken antibiotics for an infection or are continuously taking them for acne. In the process of killing off infectious bacteria, antibiotics inadvertently kill off acidophilus as well, giving candida an extra chance to flourish. One way to get more acidophilus is to eat live-culture yogurt. Acidophilus also comes in supplement form.
Acidophilus capsules can help re-establish normal intestinal health, says Dr. Schoenbeck. Take the capsules only when you have an active yeast infection or are having a problem with recurring infections.
Taking oral doses of acidophilus for just two to four weeks can help decrease candida in both your vagina and your intestines, she says. That makes you less prone to repeat infections.
Look for acidophilus capsules that are refrigerated and contain at least one billion organisms per capsule. Dr. Schoenbeck recommends two capsules before breakfast and two before dinner, one hour before each meal, for one month. At the end of the month, see your medical practitioner to be certain that the infection is gone.
Acidophilus capsules can also help with prevention. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, you can help prevent a yeast outbreak by starting the acidophilus capsules at the same time as your prescription. Continue taking the capsules for just two weeks, says Dr. Schoenbeck.
Turning to Herbs
"Garlic is one of the best things to take for yeast infections," says naturo pathic doctor Tori Hudson, N.D., professor at the National College of Naturopathic Medicine in Portland, Oregon, and author of Women’s Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine. It is both antifungal and immunity-boosting, she says.
In a laboratory study, researchers gave some animals with yeast infections a solution of aged garlic extract and others a plain saltwater solution with no active ingredients. After two days, the animals that received the garlic extract showed no signs of yeast infection. The other group still had infection.
In humans, two garlic capsules a day are enough to protect against yeast, according to Dr. Hudson. It’s best to take enteric-coated capsules because the coating prevents the active ingredients in garlic from breaking down in the stomach. Look for garlic capsules with 4,000 milligrams of allicin-alliin, which is the antifungal agent found in garlic, she says.
Herbs such as Oregon grape root extract, teatree oil extract, and lavender extract all help reduce the amount of candida growing in the intestines. "There are supplements that contain all of these extracts, but they are hard to find. I’d ask an alternative practitioner to prescribe one," Dr. Schoenbeck says. She recommends taking two tablets three times a day. After a month, see your practitioner to be sure the infection is gone.
Echinacea is beneficial, too. A German study found that women taking antifungal medicine plus echinacea extract had only a 10 percent recurrence of yeast infections. In the study, this group was compared to women who took only antifungal medicine. Nearly 60 percent of that group had recurrent infections.
Another great anti-yeast herb is goldenseal, says Dr. Schoenbeck. Like Oregon grape, goldenseal contains berberine, a chemical that has antibiotic properties and works particularly well against yeast. You can buy echinacea and goldenseal separately or in combination capsules. Whichever you choose, take them daily as directed on the product you buy. If the capsules are 450 milligrams of an echinacea and goldenseal combination, a typical dose would be two or three capsules daily with water. Do not use goldenseal if you are pregnant, however.
Drinking a tea made with pau d’arco bark or taking a supplement may also bring relief, says Kathleen Head, N.D., a naturopathic doctor in Sandpoint, Idaho, and senior editor of Alternative Medicine Review.
